68 Cambrian Consciousness
Liu Fengyu brought Cong Xia to the upper floor of the hotel. At the entrance of the first room in the corridor, there was a person from the industrial park standing guard.
Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise, "Is it here? This makeshift room as an isolation ward seems too rudimentary."
Liu Fengyu explained, "The researchers from the institute wanted to take Cheng Tianbi and Tang Yanqiu away, claiming it was for treatment, but who knows what they actually intend to do. We all disagreed, so we prepared a temporary ward here. However, the doctor doesn't allow anyone to enter. Nevertheless, Cheng Tianbi should be awake by now. You can try calling him."
Cong Xia approached quietly and knocked on the door. "Tianbi?"
The voice of Cheng Tianbi came from inside. "Cong Xia." Then there was a sound of bedding being shifted.
Cong Xia urged anxiously, "Don't come out, don't open the door. I can't come in right now. I just wanted to talk to you."
There was silence from inside. Liu Fengyu nodded to the person from the industrial park, and the two of them walked away together.
Cong Xia sat in front of the door, pressing his ear against it, and said, "Tianbi, how are you feeling?"
"I'm alright, the injuries aren't too severe, but there's a slight infection."
"That's good. I wish I had enough energy to heal you and Tang Yanqiu instantly."
Cong Xia heard a faint voice coming from the other side of the door, then Cheng Tianbi's voice almost touching the door reverberated, "Sooner or later, you will have it."
Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise, "You got out of bed? How did you get out of bed?"
"It's nothing, these injuries are nothing."
Cong Xia smiled wryly. "You say it's nothing, but you've bled a lot. It scared me."
"You also lost a lot of blood," Cheng Tianbi's voice became low, "your neck..."
"It's fine. It was pierced by a spike from Brother Cheng, but it wasn't deep. It just bled a lot and looked scary, but it's actually nothing. I healed it right away."
Cheng Tianbi fell silent for a moment and said, "You haven't been injured, have you?"
Cong Xia pressed his face and half of his body against the door, as if he could feel the warmth of Cheng Tianbi on the other side of the shoddy door. Unfortunately, even the gaps in the door were filled, and he couldn't feel anything. But just the thought that there was only a thin barrier separating him from Cheng Tianbi made him content.
Cong Xia chuckled softly and said, "Compared to our injuries in the Spore Cave, these wounds are really nothing. It's you, I've never seen you injured so severely before."
"It's nothing."
"Maybe it wasn't a big deal before, but now the medical conditions are too poor. The scariest part is the rapid bacterial growth. Even a small wound can lead to a deadly infection. You must take it seriously. You should go back to bed, it's cool on the floor."
"It's alright." Cheng Tianbi's hand slowly touched the door, imagining Cong Xia right in front of him. The red circle of blood on Cong Xia's neck looked like a decapitation wound, very frightening. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was the scene of Cong Xia's severed head bleeding. He didn't dare to think about it anymore.
Cong Xia closed his eyes and whispered, "Tianbi, I really wish I could fly to Beijing in an instant. It seems like my second uncle is highly regarded there. Maybe after meeting him, we won't have to live like this anymore. We could find a place like the people in the industrial park, cultivate a few acres of land, grow some crops, and occasionally go hunting. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Cheng Tianbi contemplated for a moment and replied, "Okay."
Thinking about that peaceful and stable life, Cong Xia couldn't help but smile. "With our abilities, it's completely feasible to live a self-sufficient life in a corner. There's no need to struggle so desperately. I don't want to fight for any more Puppet Jade. Just one encounter with an amphibious atavistic person has already caused you and Xiao Tang serious injuries. I can't imagine how powerful those mutated individuals who have been enhanced by the Puppet Jade would be. I don't want to see any of you risking your lives to fight for some jade. As long as we can support ourselves and live well, that's enough, don't you think?"
Cheng Tianbi gently raised his arm and looked at the wound on his forearm, about four or five centimeters long near the elbow. The wound was incredibly neat, perfectly stitched, leaving only a dark red, slender scar in the shape of a centipede. On his robust and muscular body, there were dozens of scars, big and small. This small wound wouldn't attract any attention at all.
He slightly parted his thin lips and said softly, "Yes."
Cong Xia smiled and said, "After we arrive in Beijing, I'll find some books on crop cultivation. I learn things quickly. When I was still working, I could read tens of thousands of words every day. The yield of Zhang Gong's garden is too low. I'm sure I can increase the output and maybe even popularize the cultivation methods so that more people can have vegetables and fruits to eat."
Cheng Tianbi's cheek pressed against the door, imagining the gentle smile on Cong Xia's face at this moment and his two white little tiger teeth when he smiled. His once hollow and lifeless eyes unconsciously became gentle. He whispered, "Okay."
Cong Xia's eyes welled up with tears. "Soon, after we leave this place, we'll accompany Xiao Tang back to his hometown in Sichuan, and then we'll go to Xi'an... We've already covered half of the journey. Let's make a greater effort. Each and every one of us must reach our destination alive."
The two of them chatted softly across the door, discussing their aspirations for the future. In reality, they were the ones who knew best how many dangers lay ahead on this journey. Perhaps the people who were closely accompanying them now would completely disappear from this world tomorrow.
In this world, with countless people who loved each other, there were vast distances, hunger, and fierce beasts separating them. They were considered fortunate among the few, but no one's heart was without fear. In this perilous world, no one had the answer as to how long cherished ones could stay together.
Cheng Tianbi's severe injuries had stirred up Cong Xia's deepest fear. He was afraid of losing Cheng Tianbi.
In the beginning, it was Cheng Tianbi who took him away from the dangerous Yunnan. Cheng Tianbi repeatedly rescued him from life-threatening crises. With unwavering conviction and indomitable will, Cheng Tianbi assured him that as long as he followed him, they would surely reach Beijing. If Cheng Tianbi died, he would have no confidence to continue. This man was the source of his courage and belief, and once he lost him, he would completely collapse.
Cong Xia chatted with Cheng Tianbi for half an hour and then left, afraid that he would be too tired. After he went downstairs, he told Liu Fengyu that he wanted to visit Xiao Tang.
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes. "Do you think you're a specialist doctor? Do you really have to examine everyone?"
Cong Xia helplessly said, "Xiao Tang is also seriously injured. I was only concerned about Tianbi at that time."
"It's okay, his injuries are not life-threatening." Liu Fengyu led him to another floor. "He's resting inside." He knocked on the door and said, "Hey, Hero Tang, Cong Xia is here to see you."
A composed voice came from inside the room, "Please come in."
The two of them pushed open the door and saw Tang Yanqiu lying on the bed, his right leg wrapped in bandages. He held a tattered magazine in his hand, probably left behind in this room.
Cong Xia sat down by his bedside. "How do you feel?"
Tang Yanqiu smiled. "The injuries aren't serious. I'll be fine in a few days."
Cong Xia gently placed his hand on Tang Yanqiu's wound. "I regained some energy after taking a nap, but my self-recovery energy is very limited. But it's better than nothing." As he spoke, he infused a thread of energy from his body into Tang Yanqiu's.
When the transparent, attributeless energy flowed through Tang Yanqiu's body, he suddenly felt something unusual. The energy that was circulating continuously within him produced a slightly stronger fluctuation when it passed through his dantian, revolving around a certain point near his dantian...
Energy core!
Cong Xia widened his eyes. He "saw" it! He "saw" a large, transparent, crystalline object gathering in his lower abdomen. Around the transparent crystal, there were swirling energies of five colors: gold, green, blue, red, and black, like ethereal mist, swirling around his energy core. Every time the attributeless energy circulated to this point within him, it would undergo a small cycle within the energy core. With each small cycle, the storage of his energy core would increase ever so slightly, faintly and minutely. But he could feel these subtle differences, as if he were building a house, applying a layer of cement. Although the progress was negligible compared to the overall construction of the house, because he had personally applied it, he knew it very well.
This must be it! This is the situation that Tianbi and the others have experienced! This is the energy
core!
Cong Xia was overwhelmed with joy. He finally sensed his energy core. He could finally cultivate autonomously instead of relying on absorption!
The two of them looked at Cong Xia's ever-changing expressions with confusion. Liu Fengyu even touched his forehead and asked, "Are you feeling alright? Did you get a fever, Xia?"
Cong Xia grabbed Liu Fengyu's hand and exclaimed excitedly, "Energy core, Liu Ge! I felt it! I felt my energy core!"
Tang Yanqiu asked in astonishment, "What is an energy core?"
Cong Xia happily replied, "Xiao Tang, I'll tell you when you're healed. I don't have much energy in my body right now, but once I have enough, I will heal you as soon as possible. Rest well for now. I'm leaving." With that, he jumped off the bed, eager to share this good news with Cheng Tianbi.
Liu Fengyu also stood up and Cong Xia said, "Liu Ge, stay with Xiao Tang. He's bored being alone in the room."
"No need."
"No need."
They said in unison. After speaking, they exchanged a glance, Liu Fengyu snorted and turned his head away, while Xiao Tang lowered his head helplessly.
Cong Xia's thoughts were completely elsewhere. He walked swiftly.
On the way, he repeatedly recalled the events of the past few days, wondering why he couldn't sense his energy core no matter how hard he tried. He even doubted the existence of his energy core at one point. But now, he suddenly sensed it.
What was the difference between before and now?
Cong Xia went through everything in his mind, and a thought burst into his mind.
Fire energy?
Yes, fire energy!
In the past, he couldn't "see" any of the other five elemental energies within his body. All the five elemental energies he absorbed would lose their color as soon as they entered his body, transforming into attributeless energy. But now, he "saw" it clearly. It was swirling around his energy core. He hadn't done anything different from before in the past few days, except that he absorbed fire energy, which he had never absorbed before.
During that time，Cong Xia was too anxious to heal him, so he absorbed all the energy entities on the field without paying extra attention to the bearded man. Now, in retrospect, it is probably the fire energy from that bearded man that triggered the appearance or awakening of his energy core.
The five elemental energies compose everything in the world, and without any of them, it wouldn't work. It is because of this that there has always been a missing piece in the development of his energy core. The attributeless energy is closely related to the five elemental energies. Although he can't distinguish their relationship clearly, they are definitely interdependent. As a single energy entity, Cheng Tianbi and the others can sense the energy core as long as they have enough of a certain type of energy. However, as someone with attributeless energy, Cong Xia must absorb all five elemental energies into his body to make the energy core manifest.
Cong Xia couldn't contain his excitement and couldn't even clench his hands tightly. There was nothing that made him happier than knowing he could actively increase his energy. The injuries suffered by his companions gave him a great stimulus. Absorbing the energy of dead creatures without moving had made him acutely aware of his own shortcomings. Only by generating energy actively could he provide a continuous supply of attributeless energy in the future and ensure his own growth!
He hurriedly ran to Cheng Tianbi's room, only to find two unfamiliar women at the door, one of whom was a mutant. Cong Xia became vigilant and asked, "May I ask who you are?"
A long-haired beauty smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. We're from the Qingyan Gang. We just brought Dr. Wang here to change the bandages and conduct an examination for Mr. Cheng."
"And Dr. Wang is..."
"He's a clinical professor from the research institute. He's the one who led the team to invent the new type of antibiotics."
Cong Xia felt slightly relieved. Although they were from the Qingyan Gang, who were quite opportunistic, at least for now, Cheng Tianbi's injuries still depended on them. Moreover, he couldn't display hostility towards two beautiful and friendly women.
The long-haired beauty said, "It might take a long time. Will you wait here?"
"Yes." Cong Xia nodded. After all, Cheng Tianbi was injured and alone, and he wasn't at ease leaving him alone.
The other girl, who was a mutant, had a hint of arrogance. "You don't trust us, do you?"
Cong Xia smiled and replied, "What Chen Shao did before really makes it hard for me to trust easily."
"How dare you speak ill of our leader."
The long-haired beauty held her back. "Xiao Lan, don't be like this."
Cong Xia had no intention of conflicting with them. He leaned against the wall and waited silently.
The long-haired beauty walked over to his side and smiled, "May I ask your surname, sir?"
Cong Xia also smiled and said, "Xia. Just call me Xia."
"Mr. Xia, do you know that there are rumors about you and your group spreading all over this mountain city?"
"Oh? What kind of rumors?"
"There hasn't been much change here for a long time. Since the three forces formed, everyone has become accustomed to surviving under these rules and circumstances. Many people are actually dissatisfied with the Hongwei Gang. They run gambling houses, brothels, and even engage in robbery. Although they dare not cause trouble within the mountain city, they have done many bad things outside the city. It's just that their leader, Zhao Jin, is too powerful, so the higher-ups can only turn a blind eye to it. Ordinary people have no choice but to endure it. Before you even arrived in Chongqing, news about the incident where you wiped out the group that blocked the road had already spread here. In less than three days of your arrival, you killed Zhao Jin and nearly wiped out the entire Hongwei Gang. Tell me, how can you not become famous?"
Cong Xia smiled bitterly. "We didn't intend for things to turn out this way. Killing those people who blocked the road was just a desperate move because we couldn't bear it anymore. After we arrived here, we found out that the gang blocking the road was actually part of the Hongwei Gang. We feared retaliation from the gang, so we hoped to seek the help of your gang to ensure our safety. That's all."
The beauty pursed her lips and a hint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes. "You're being too modest. You're not ordinary people from the industrial park. If the industrial park had people like you, would you have waited until now to come to Chongqing?"
Cong Xia said, "Indeed, we're not from the industrial park, but they showed us hospitality when we passed through there. We also wanted to come to Chongqing because our goals align with theirs."
The beauty smiled and said, "Regardless of who you are, you're really bold. Not only did you dare to kill Zhao Jin, but you also dared to use Chen Shao."
Cong Xia's expression turned serious. "Chen Shao didn't give us much advantage either."
The beauty smiled and said, "So we're even, right?"
Cong Xia replied, "Miss, why don't you just speak your mind?"
She revealed a charming smile. "You know about Frost Society, right?"
Cong Xia nodded.
"Their leader is a Frost Elemental Evolver, a natural ice manipulator. He arrived in Chongqing two months ago, and he only made a move once, freezing six mutants from the Hongwei Gang into ice blocks in an instant. Since then, no one has dared to challenge him. There have been many rumors about Elemental Evolvers among the common people, almost mythologizing this type of Evolver. What I'm saying is not an exaggeration at all. Elemental Evolvers are not only rare but also extremely powerful. Chongqing has only produced one such Evolver. The higher-ups have always wanted to recruit him, but he has remained unmoved. Instead, he has recruited more than ten or twenty Evolvers and relies on hunting and scavenging for essential supplies. Among these three forces, he has the fewest numbers and the least resources, but no one dares to provoke him. Moreover, he never actively provokes others. He seems uninterested in everything and just wants to enjoy his leisurely life. His attitude is actually very clever because he's an outsider here, with no support or connections. Being low-key allows him to live comfortably. But..." She raised an eyebrow, smiling at Cong Xia. "This man, who has always been unmoved by wealth and seduction and is as cold as ice, is now interested in the person inside. He wants to meet him. You tell me, can our Chen Shao rest assured?"
Cong Xia shook his head. "But we don't want to meet him. In a way, we are similar to him. We don't want to provoke anyone and just want to live a leisurely life. If you're worried that we will join forces with Frost Society, rest assured, we have no such intentions, and we never want to actively provoke the Qingyan Gang." Cong Xia emphasized the word "actively."
She was about to say something when the door of the adjacent room opened, and a middle-aged doctor wearing a white coat came out. Cong Xia stepped forward. "Professor Wang, how is my friend doing?"
Professor Wang glanced at him and said, "He's undergoing antimicrobial treatment. The conditions are too rudimentary, but his physical condition is good, so he should be fine."
"How long until he recovers?"
"The rapid growth of bacteria hinders wound healing. It depends on the effectiveness of the medication. But no matter what, he'll have to stay in bed for at least half a month."
Cong Xia had a rough idea in his mind. He needed to intensify his training in the coming days and find a way to leave the city to kill some mutant animals and absorb energy to heal Cheng Tianbi as soon as possible. He had a strong intuition that if he stayed here any longer, he might get entangled in the power struggle of this place, which was something they wanted to avoid.
Professor Wang exchanged a few words with the mutant girl and then prepared to leave.
The long-haired beauty smiled and said, "Well, we'll take our leave. We can chat another day."
Cong Xia nodded politely. "Goodbye."
She glanced deeply at Cong Xia before turning and leaving.
Cong Xia had initially wanted to inform Cheng Tianbi about the good news of finding his energy nucleus, but considering that he had just undergone treatment and must be tired, he hesitated for a moment and decided to leave. When he returned to his room, he sat cross-legged and began to recall the cultivation methods he had transcribed, slowly adjusting his breathing.
68 Cambrian Consciousness
Liu Fengyu brought Cong Xia to the upper floor of the hotel. At the entrance of the first room in the corridor, there was a person from the industrial park standing guard.
Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise, "Is it here? This makeshift room as an isolation ward seems too rudimentary."
Liu Fengyu explained, "The researchers from the institute wanted to take Cheng Tianbi and Tang Yanqiu away, claiming it was for treatment, but who knows what they actually intend to do. We all disagreed, so we prepared a temporary ward here. However, the doctor doesn't allow anyone to enter. Nevertheless, Cheng Tianbi should be awake by now. You can try calling him."
Cong Xia approached quietly and knocked on the door. "Tianbi?"
The voice of Cheng Tianbi came from inside. "Cong Xia." Then there was a sound of bedding being shifted.
Cong Xia urged anxiously, "Don't come out, don't open the door. I can't come in right now. I just wanted to talk to you."
There was silence from inside. Liu Fengyu nodded to the person from the industrial park, and the two of them walked away together.
Cong Xia sat in front of the door, pressing his ear against it, and said, "Tianbi, how are you feeling?"
"I'm alright, the injuries aren't too severe, but there's a slight infection."
"That's good. I wish I had enough energy to heal you and Tang Yanqiu instantly."
Cong Xia heard a faint voice coming from the other side of the door, then Cheng Tianbi's voice almost touching the door reverberated, "Sooner or later, you will have it."
Cong Xia exclaimed in surprise, "You got out of bed? How did you get out of bed?"
"It's nothing, these injuries are nothing."
Cong Xia smiled wryly. "You say it's nothing, but you've bled a lot. It scared me."
"You also lost a lot of blood," Cheng Tianbi's voice became low, "your neck..."
"It's fine. It was pierced by a spike from Brother Cheng, but it wasn't deep. It just bled a lot and looked scary, but it's actually nothing. I healed it right away."
Cheng Tianbi fell silent for a moment and said, "You haven't been injured, have you?"
Cong Xia pressed his face and half of his body against the door, as if he could feel the warmth of Cheng Tianbi on the other side of the shoddy door. Unfortunately, even the gaps in the door were filled, and he couldn't feel anything. But just the thought that there was only a thin barrier separating him from Cheng Tianbi made him content.
Cong Xia chuckled softly and said, "Compared to our injuries in the Spore Cave, these wounds are really nothing. It's you, I've never seen you injured so severely before."
"It's nothing."
"Maybe it wasn't a big deal before, but now the medical conditions are too poor. The scariest part is the rapid bacterial growth. Even a small wound can lead to a deadly infection. You must take it seriously. You should go back to bed, it's cool on the floor."
"It's alright." Cheng Tianbi's hand slowly touched the door, imagining Cong Xia right in front of him. The red circle of blood on Cong Xia's neck looked like a decapitation wound, very frightening. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was the scene of Cong Xia's severed head bleeding. He didn't dare to think about it anymore.
Cong Xia closed his eyes and whispered, "Tianbi, I really wish I could fly to Beijing in an instant. It seems like my second uncle is highly regarded there. Maybe after meeting him, we won't have to live like this anymore. We could find a place like the people in the industrial park, cultivate a few acres of land, grow some crops, and occasionally go hunting. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Cheng Tianbi contemplated for a moment and replied, "Okay."
Thinking about that peaceful and stable life, Cong Xia couldn't help but smile. "With our abilities, it's completely feasible to live a self-sufficient life in a corner. There's no need to struggle so desperately. I don't want to fight for any more Puppet Jade. Just one encounter with an amphibious atavistic person has already caused you and Xiao Tang serious injuries. I can't imagine how powerful those mutated individuals who have been enhanced by the Puppet Jade would be. I don't want to see any of you risking your lives to fight for some jade. As long as we can support ourselves and live well, that's enough, don't you think?"
Cheng Tianbi gently raised his arm and looked at the wound on his forearm, about four or five centimeters long near the elbow. The wound was incredibly neat, perfectly stitched, leaving only a dark red, slender scar in the shape of a centipede. On his robust and muscular body, there were dozens of scars, big and small. This small wound wouldn't attract any attention at all.
He slightly parted his thin lips and said softly, "Yes."
Cong Xia smiled and said, "After we arrive in Beijing, I'll find some books on crop cultivation. I learn things quickly. When I was still working, I could read tens of thousands of words every day. The yield of Zhang Gong's garden is too low. I'm sure I can increase the output and maybe even popularize the cultivation methods so that more people can have vegetables and fruits to eat."
Cheng Tianbi's cheek pressed against the door, imagining the gentle smile on Cong Xia's face at this moment and his two white little tiger teeth when he smiled. His once hollow and lifeless eyes unconsciously became gentle. He whispered, "Okay."
Cong Xia's eyes welled up with tears. "Soon, after we leave this place, we'll accompany Xiao Tang back to his hometown in Sichuan, and then we'll go to Xi'an... We've already covered half of the journey. Let's make a greater effort. Each and every one of us must reach our destination alive."
The two of them chatted softly across the door, discussing their aspirations for the future. In reality, they were the ones who knew best how many dangers lay ahead on this journey. Perhaps the people who were closely accompanying them now would completely disappear from this world tomorrow.
In this world, with countless people who loved each other, there were vast distances, hunger, and fierce beasts separating them. They were considered fortunate among the few, but no one's heart was without fear. In this perilous world, no one had the answer as to how long cherished ones could stay together.
Cheng Tianbi's severe injuries had stirred up Cong Xia's deepest fear. He was afraid of losing Cheng Tianbi.
In the beginning, it was Cheng Tianbi who took him away from the dangerous Yunnan. Cheng Tianbi repeatedly rescued him from life-threatening crises. With unwavering conviction and indomitable will, Cheng Tianbi assured him that as long as he followed him, they would surely reach Beijing. If Cheng Tianbi died, he would have no confidence to continue. This man was the source of his courage and belief, and once he lost him, he would completely collapse.
Cong Xia chatted with Cheng Tianbi for half an hour and then left, afraid that he would be too tired. After he went downstairs, he told Liu Fengyu that he wanted to visit Xiao Tang.
Liu Fengyu rolled his eyes. "Do you think you're a specialist doctor? Do you really have to examine everyone?"
Cong Xia helplessly said, "Xiao Tang is also seriously injured. I was only concerned about Tianbi at that time."
"It's okay, his injuries are not life-threatening." Liu Fengyu led him to another floor. "He's resting inside." He knocked on the door and said, "Hey, Hero Tang, Cong Xia is here to see you."
A composed voice came from inside the room, "Please come in."
The two of them pushed open the door and saw Tang Yanqiu lying on the bed, his right leg wrapped in bandages. He held a tattered magazine in his hand, probably left behind in this room.
Cong Xia sat down by his bedside. "How do you feel?"
Tang Yanqiu smiled. "The injuries aren't serious. I'll be fine in a few days."
Cong Xia gently placed his hand on Tang Yanqiu's wound. "I regained some energy after taking a nap, but my self-recovery energy is very limited. But it's better than nothing." As he spoke, he infused a thread of energy from his body into Tang Yanqiu's.
When the transparent, attributeless energy flowed through Tang Yanqiu's body, he suddenly felt something unusual. The energy that was circulating continuously within him produced a slightly stronger fluctuation when it passed through his dantian, revolving around a certain point near his dantian...
Energy core!
Cong Xia widened his eyes. He "saw" it! He "saw" a large, transparent, crystalline object gathering in his lower abdomen. Around the transparent crystal, there were swirling energies of five colors: gold, green, blue, red, and black, like ethereal mist, swirling around his energy core. Every time the attributeless energy circulated to this point within him, it would undergo a small cycle within the energy core. With each small cycle, the storage of his energy core would increase ever so slightly, faintly and minutely. But he could feel these subtle differences, as if he were building a house, applying a layer of cement. Although the progress was negligible compared to the overall construction of the house, because he had personally applied it, he knew it very well.
This must be it! This is the situation that Tianbi and the others have experienced! This is the energy
core!
Cong Xia was overwhelmed with joy. He finally sensed his energy core. He could finally cultivate autonomously instead of relying on absorption!
The two of them looked at Cong Xia's ever-changing expressions with confusion. Liu Fengyu even touched his forehead and asked, "Are you feeling alright? Did you get a fever, Xia?"
Cong Xia grabbed Liu Fengyu's hand and exclaimed excitedly, "Energy core, Liu Ge! I felt it! I felt my energy core!"
Tang Yanqiu asked in astonishment, "What is an energy core?"
Cong Xia happily replied, "Xiao Tang, I'll tell you when you're healed. I don't have much energy in my body right now, but once I have enough, I will heal you as soon as possible. Rest well for now. I'm leaving." With that, he jumped off the bed, eager to share this good news with Cheng Tianbi.
Liu Fengyu also stood up and Cong Xia said, "Liu Ge, stay with Xiao Tang. He's bored being alone in the room."
"No need."
"No need."
They said in unison. After speaking, they exchanged a glance, Liu Fengyu snorted and turned his head away, while Xiao Tang lowered his head helplessly.
Cong Xia's thoughts were completely elsewhere. He walked swiftly.
On the way, he repeatedly recalled the events of the past few days, wondering why he couldn't sense his energy core no matter how hard he tried. He even doubted the existence of his energy core at one point. But now, he suddenly sensed it.
What was the difference between before and now?
Cong Xia went through everything in his mind, and a thought burst into his mind.
Fire energy?
Yes, fire energy!
In the past, he couldn't "see" any of the other five elemental energies within his body. All the five elemental energies he absorbed would lose their color as soon as they entered his body, transforming into attributeless energy. But now, he "saw" it clearly. It was swirling around his energy core. He hadn't done anything different from before in the past few days, except that he absorbed fire energy, which he had never absorbed before.
During that time，Cong Xia was too anxious to heal him, so he absorbed all the energy entities on the field without paying extra attention to the bearded man. Now, in retrospect, it is probably the fire energy from that bearded man that triggered the appearance or awakening of his energy core.
The five elemental energies compose everything in the world, and without any of them, it wouldn't work. It is because of this that there has always been a missing piece in the development of his energy core. The attributeless energy is closely related to the five elemental energies. Although he can't distinguish their relationship clearly, they are definitely interdependent. As a single energy entity, Cheng Tianbi and the others can sense the energy core as long as they have enough of a certain type of energy. However, as someone with attributeless energy, Cong Xia must absorb all five elemental energies into his body to make the energy core manifest.
Cong Xia couldn't contain his excitement and couldn't even clench his hands tightly. There was nothing that made him happier than knowing he could actively increase his energy. The injuries suffered by his companions gave him a great stimulus. Absorbing the energy of dead creatures without moving had made him acutely aware of his own shortcomings. Only by generating energy actively could he provide a continuous supply of attributeless energy in the future and ensure his own growth!
He hurriedly ran to Cheng Tianbi's room, only to find two unfamiliar women at the door, one of whom was a mutant. Cong Xia became vigilant and asked, "May I ask who you are?"
A long-haired beauty smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. We're from the Qingyan Gang. We just brought Dr. Wang here to change the bandages and conduct an examination for Mr. Cheng."
"And Dr. Wang is..."
"He's a clinical professor from the research institute. He's the one who led the team to invent the new type of antibiotics."
Cong Xia felt slightly relieved. Although they were from the Qingyan Gang, who were quite opportunistic, at least for now, Cheng Tianbi's injuries still depended on them. Moreover, he couldn't display hostility towards two beautiful and friendly women.
The long-haired beauty said, "It might take a long time. Will you wait here?"
"Yes." Cong Xia nodded. After all, Cheng Tianbi was injured and alone, and he wasn't at ease leaving him alone.
The other girl, who was a mutant, had a hint of arrogance. "You don't trust us, do you?"
Cong Xia smiled and replied, "What Chen Shao did before really makes it hard for me to trust easily."
"How dare you speak ill of our leader."
The long-haired beauty held her back. "Xiao Lan, don't be like this."
Cong Xia had no intention of conflicting with them. He leaned against the wall and waited silently.
The long-haired beauty walked over to his side and smiled, "May I ask your surname, sir?"
Cong Xia also smiled and said, "Xia. Just call me Xia."
"Mr. Xia, do you know that there are rumors about you and your group spreading all over this mountain city?"
"Oh? What kind of rumors?"
"There hasn't been much change here for a long time. Since the three forces formed, everyone has become accustomed to surviving under these rules and circumstances. Many people are actually dissatisfied with the Hongwei Gang. They run gambling houses, brothels, and even engage in robbery. Although they dare not cause trouble within the mountain city, they have done many bad things outside the city. It's just that their leader, Zhao Jin, is too powerful, so the higher-ups can only turn a blind eye to it. Ordinary people have no choice but to endure it. Before you even arrived in Chongqing, news about the incident where you wiped out the group that blocked the road had already spread here. In less than three days of your arrival, you killed Zhao Jin and nearly wiped out the entire Hongwei Gang. Tell me, how can you not become famous?"
Cong Xia smiled bitterly. "We didn't intend for things to turn out this way. Killing those people who blocked the road was just a desperate move because we couldn't bear it anymore. After we arrived here, we found out that the gang blocking the road was actually part of the Hongwei Gang. We feared retaliation from the gang, so we hoped to seek the help of your gang to ensure our safety. That's all."
The beauty pursed her lips and a hint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes. "You're being too modest. You're not ordinary people from the industrial park. If the industrial park had people like you, would you have waited until now to come to Chongqing?"
Cong Xia said, "Indeed, we're not from the industrial park, but they showed us hospitality when we passed through there. We also wanted to come to Chongqing because our goals align with theirs."
The beauty smiled and said, "Regardless of who you are, you're really bold. Not only did you dare to kill Zhao Jin, but you also dared to use Chen Shao."
Cong Xia's expression turned serious. "Chen Shao didn't give us much advantage either."
The beauty smiled and said, "So we're even, right?"
Cong Xia replied, "Miss, why don't you just speak your mind?"
She revealed a charming smile. "You know about Frost Society, right?"
Cong Xia nodded.
"Their leader is a Frost Elemental Evolver, a natural ice manipulator. He arrived in Chongqing two months ago, and he only made a move once, freezing six mutants from the Hongwei Gang into ice blocks in an instant. Since then, no one has dared to challenge him. There have been many rumors about Elemental Evolvers among the common people, almost mythologizing this type of Evolver. What I'm saying is not an exaggeration at all. Elemental Evolvers are not only rare but also extremely powerful. Chongqing has only produced one such Evolver. The higher-ups have always wanted to recruit him, but he has remained unmoved. Instead, he has recruited more than ten or twenty Evolvers and relies on hunting and scavenging for essential supplies. Among these three forces, he has the fewest numbers and the least resources, but no one dares to provoke him. Moreover, he never actively provokes others. He seems uninterested in everything and just wants to enjoy his leisurely life. His attitude is actually very clever because he's an outsider here, with no support or connections. Being low-key allows him to live comfortably. But..." She raised an eyebrow, smiling at Cong Xia. "This man, who has always been unmoved by wealth and seduction and is as cold as ice, is now interested in the person inside. He wants to meet him. You tell me, can our Chen Shao rest assured?"
Cong Xia shook his head. "But we don't want to meet him. In a way, we are similar to him. We don't want to provoke anyone and just want to live a leisurely life. If you're worried that we will join forces with Frost Society, rest assured, we have no such intentions, and we never want to actively provoke the Qingyan Gang." Cong Xia emphasized the word "actively."
She was about to say something when the door of the adjacent room opened, and a middle-aged doctor wearing a white coat came out. Cong Xia stepped forward. "Professor Wang, how is my friend doing?"
Professor Wang glanced at him and said, "He's undergoing antimicrobial treatment. The conditions are too rudimentary, but his physical condition is good, so he should be fine."
"How long until he recovers?"
"The rapid growth of bacteria hinders wound healing. It depends on the effectiveness of the medication. But no matter what, he'll have to stay in bed for at least half a month."
Cong Xia had a rough idea in his mind. He needed to intensify his training in the coming days and find a way to leave the city to kill some mutant animals and absorb energy to heal Cheng Tianbi as soon as possible. He had a strong intuition that if he stayed here any longer, he might get entangled in the power struggle of this place, which was something they wanted to avoid.
Professor Wang exchanged a few words with the mutant girl and then prepared to leave.
The long-haired beauty smiled and said, "Well, we'll take our leave. We can chat another day."
Cong Xia nodded politely. "Goodbye."
She glanced deeply at Cong Xia before turning and leaving.
Cong Xia had initially wanted to inform Cheng Tianbi about the good news of finding his energy nucleus, but considering that he had just undergone treatment and must be tired, he hesitated for a moment and decided to leave. When he returned to his room, he sat cross-legged and began to recall the cultivation methods he had transcribed, slowly adjusting his breathing.
